All Stories by Laurel Hamers
- Neuroscience
Math-anxious brains tackle simple problems differently
An fMRI study found more variable brain activity in people who get nervous about math problems.
- Plants
Genetic switch offers clue to why grasses are survival masters
Scientists have identified a genetic switch that helps grasses regulate their carbon dioxide intake.
- Physics
To understand rivers, let physics be your guide
Where the River Flows unites physics and environmental science to explain Earth’s waterways.
- Neuroscience
Making a mistake can put your brain on ‘pause’
When there’s not much time to recover, one error can lead to another.
- Genetics
Scientists move closer to building synthetic yeast from scratch
Scientists have created five more synthetic yeast chromosomes.
- Health & Medicine
Certain birth defects are on the rise since Zika arrived in the U.S.
The rate of certain birth defects is much higher in babies born to Zika-infected mothers in the United States, the CDC reports.
- Health & Medicine
Microcephaly, other birth defects are on the rise since Zika’s arrival
The rate of certain birth defects is much higher in babies born to Zika-infected mothers in the United States, the CDC reports.
- Life
Origin of photosynthesis may go further back than estimates from 50 years ago
Analyzing ancient rocks has helped push back the date when photosynthetic organisms first emerged by nearly a billion years.
- Life
Bacteria’s amyloids display surprising structure
Protein clusters made by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria have a surprising new structure.
- Life
Howler monkeys may owe their color vision to leaf hue
Better color vision gives howler monkeys an edge at finding food.
- Chemistry
New, greener catalysts are built for speed
Researchers are designing catalysts to move chemical reactions without using precious metals, or at least using less of them.
- Plants
Enzymes aid rice plants’ arsenic defenses
Rice plant roots have natural defenses against arsenic.
